Multi-million-dollar mega mosque in US ready for official opening

A $100 million mega mosque in Lanham, Maryland, will soon be open for Muslim worshipers in the Washington, DC area, as Turkey's President Tayyip Erdoğan and US President Barack Obama are expected to open the mosque.

America's largest mosque complex, officially known as Turkish-American Culture and Civilization Center, was built with Turkish funding under the supervision of the Turkish religious foundation (Diyanet).

The 15-acre mosque complex is the largest and most striking example of Islamic architecture in the Western hemisphere.

In May 2013, Turkish President Erdoğan placed the ceremonial stone at the construction site and construction of the complex has already been completed as it awaits the official opening.

The mosque complex consists of a coffee house, gift shops, a cultural center, an amphitheater, exhibition hall, computer lab, library, Turkish bath/hamam, guest house and a main mosque building.

The Turkish American Community Center, also known as the Diyanet Center of America, is ready for worshipers and for visitors of all faiths.

The center of the masjid is designated as the sacred sanctuary, while the Mihrab is made of marble and gold leaf applied by artisans from Turkey. The upper part of the side of the Mihrab is decorated with tiles imported from Turkey. On the pediment of the Mihrab is a figure of the tree of life which symbolizes the 99 names of Allah.

The ornate, marble Mimbar is used for special occasions such as Eid and Friday prayers.

The door of the main masjid is a brilliant piece of art made with the Kündekâri woodworking technique developed in Anatolia during the Seljuk era.

The mosque has six wooden doors, which open to three areas of the sanctuary and three areas of the courtyard.

The central courtyard is anchored by a marble fountain. Copper taps are used to keep an Old World aesthetic.

It is the only mosque in America with two minarets.

A 220-seat auditorium is a part of the multi-purpose cultural center, which includes a conference room equipped with an advanced sound system and simultaneous translation rooms.

In addition to America, Turkey is building similar mosque complexes in Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Albania, Cuba, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, the Palestinian Territories and Somalia.

This year, Turkish President opened a mosque in Moscow in a ceremony along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Muslim leaders from the Middle East and Central Asia.